No decision in Hammet gate

No decision in Hammet gate

It’s back to the drawing board for city staff in dealing with the Hammet Street emergency gate.

Monday night council directed staff to look at all options in coming up with a solution to the 15-year-old problem in an east Hespeler subdivision. They have also given staff a Feb. 28 deadline.

Last week, councillors were considering removing the gate, located just east of Our Lady of Fatima School, and turning the two abutting cul-de-sacs at the end of Hammet Street and Housler Lane into one continuous street. That was the recommendation of the city’s management committee after looking at a number of options.

Since the creation of Housler Lane in 2006, a gate has connected the two dead-end streets. From an operational standpoint it’s been nothing but trouble.

“The Hespeler east community transportation and emergency access needs have been debated for more than 15 years,” said George Elliott, city transportation and public works commissioner, in his report to council. “All attempts to install and maintain an emergency gate have failed.”

Over the last five years, firefighters have used the gate 239 times when responding to calls in the east Hespeler subdivision. That works out to four per month or roughly once a week.

The report goes on to detail the failure of the initial automated gate, which was continuously vandalized and eventually destroyed. Then a low-tech gate system with a breakable chain was installed. It worked initially, however once vandals found the weak link in the system, it was broken and left open on a number of occasions. Some area residents replaced the break away chain with a regular chain which resulted in damage to a city fire truck.

Last month, frustrated Fire Chief Bill Chesney ordered the gate removed after debris thrown in front of the gate delaying firefighters in reaching a choking child. City works crews have temporarily installed flexible delineator barriers, which a fire truck can now roll over.

Housler Lane resident Kent Collins was among those who want a fix for the gate, while maintaining the status quo on his street.

“No one wants to deny emergency vehicles access. The knock down posts seem to be working,” he said. “I urge council to think about the residents. This will affect our property (values) and affect the safety of our children.

Collins told council that when he purchased his home, residents on Housler Lane paid a premium to live on the dead end street, where his three children could safely play.

Hammet Street resident David Williams told council that the gate has never operated properly.

“It’s very important to maintain access,” Williams told council.

Like Collins, Williams said he likes what’s there now.

“I’d like to see access maintained and upgraded,” he said. “This is a better solution. It provides access for the Cambridge Fire Department and other departments.

Neighbour Susan Burr is also against transforming the two cul-de-sacs into one street. Having lived on Hammet Street for 37-year years, she remembers when her street ended in a farmer’s lane and has watched as time ‘eroded a way of life”.

“I recognize that things change,” she said. “The gate has been a bone of contention for more then 10 years.”

Burr reminded council that the new subdivision was in place before Housler Lane was created. She suggested the fire department re-examine the routes it had previously used to access the subdivision before the lane was built.

Burr said she had “no idea what the solution is,” but if the street were opened up, it would definitely increase both traffic and parking woes in front of Our Lady of Fatima School, which is in the midst of an expansion.

Resident Martin Hengeveld called on council to come up with a fair solution.

“I would just ask that you balance the needs of the fire department and the rest of the residents’ needs.”

Council took 20 minutes debating over a recommendation they could agree upon – staff has called for the two streets to be opened.

“We are creating a problem by solving a problem,” said Coun. Ben Tucci in opposing the staff recommendation.

“We have to give residents some assurance that we will be looking at everything,” said Hespeler Coun. Rick Cowsill, at the height of the televised debate.

He pushed for, and eventually received council’s support to direct staff to bring back a number of options to consider at its Feb. 28 meeting.